I'm at a loss here, I'm a Jeep man and new to Subarus...

 

91 Legacy n/a

 

One day it wouldn't start (but cranks) and it gave me no issues before.

 

Things I've done/checked:

 

Fuel pump was going up to 35 psi. Also won't start if you spray starting fluid.

 

It's getting good spark. I tested it with a test light. Ignitor, coil, and plugs have been changed.

 

I've replaced the knock sensor.

 

I've ran a jumper wire from the battery to the spade connector on the starter.

 

I've checked the codes by connecting the black wires underneath. Codes 12 35 and 49.

 

 

Any ideas???

Edited March 26, 201610 yr by _Adrian_

Timing belt. It doesnt matter if your a jeep person or not all engines operate the same way with the exception of rotary's.

Same thought, maybe timing belt. When was the last time it was changed?? Good thing, if it is a broken timing belt, it is a non interference engine, so no damage to the valves.

 

Could also be a bad cold temperature sensor.

Edited March 26, 201610 yr by Rooster2

Yeah I know but different motors have different quirks. I also own a turbo rx7 too lol

 

I haven't pulled the cover to check the timing belt yet but the car has wrote on it "timing belt 252,xxx". It only has 270k on it now. There was also a receipt for it in the glove box.

 

Thanks for the next thing to check, I'll pull it in a bit.

I drove the car home from work, no issues, and parked it. The next morning, it wouldn't start.

SOunds like a timing belt. 

 

There is more to  a timing belt then the rubber band. There are the idlers/tensioners and water pump. If they were lazy and didnt replace them the belt will jump.

 

Timing belt failure is the car was runing fine then it wont start. The sudden unloading of the belt (with a weak idler/tensioner) will allow the belt to jump.

Thanks nipper, I've saw you reply to a lot of threads and you seem knowledgeable and helpful. I'm going to pull the cover here in a minute.

 

On the paper of the things they have done it said timing belt/water pump so who knows about pulleys, tensioner, and seals.

Thanks I try

 

Do you have the tools at hand to do a compression test?

 

Also read up on timing marks as they can be confusing.

 

252K if you do the math is an odd mileage for them to do a timing belt at. 

Your CPS might be going bad. They can cause random no start issues.

 

Also, as I just discovered messing with mine, fuel pump can be bad and still let engine occasionally run. I had a leaky return line and had to put it off awhile. I pinched the return line right at the fuel filter, and engine ran w/o leaking in the rear. I parked it on a couple of occasions, and was greeted with a crank + no start. On a several occasions of it doing this, I unpinched the return and it immediately started. Then, several days ago after having ran and parked, it wouldn't start after sitting roughly 2 days. It sputtered on starting fluid, and on one brief moment, acted like it wanted to start w/o the fluid, but nothing. Replaced fuel pump and finally ran new line to bypass the bad return section, primed fuel pump about 6 times (key on, then off x 6) and it fired right up.

 

Mine has 189k miles, and was still sporting the OEM pump (pretty amazing when you think about it) so figure if you are beyond that mark on an older car, it's quite possible it's failing.

I viewed an article that showed how to line it up and now the starter is just clicking... cue the frustration! I'll deal with that tomorrow.

 

The fuel pump looks to have been changed out. It looked newer than the "hanger" and there was tape over the access panel.

Edited March 27, 201610 yr by _Adrian_

So the car did jump time. As I said, I lined it all back up and the starter didn't want to work. Got a new starter and same thing, it would kick out but it wouldn't spin. Ran a wire from the terminal to battery and it spun but... the starter didn't seem right and didn't catch the flywheel. I roll started it and it fired right up though!

 

Thanks a lot everyone for the help but especially you nipper.

See I aint dead yet

Nipper: Glad to see you back on the forum!

Still very sick at least we know why

If you jumped time, it wouldn't start from popping the clutch and not the starter as the starter ring has nothing to do with it, unless starter isn't seated and is binding when trying to crank. If starter continues to "click", check your grounds. A trick you can try is jumping the battery neg post to the engine (firmly) and then see if it'll crank. If it cranks now, you have bad grounds.

The starter was seated good and all. It would occasionally work since it's been down. The wire that runs to the main terminal (with nut) isn't getting power. I ran a jumper wire straight to the battery and it kicked it out and spun. Before the clicking I heard was it just kicking it out.

Glad it is running again.  Nipper, I hope you are doing better.

Clean your battery terminals if you're getting a no start issue with just clicking. My 90 Legacy gave me fits when the negative terminal got dirty.

 

Also, pop your timing covers off again and check the pulleys. If it jumped time, you may have a pulley failure. Did you spin any of them and listen for a growling bearing?

If the previous owner just did the belt and no pulleys, you're going to need a new set of idlers soon; might as well do the water pump while you're in there.

Also, that toothed idler that sits below the water pump is infamous for failing first. Mine spat out the bearings and kept going thanks to the tensioner until I stopped the engine.

 

Twitch